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August 14, 2020

Meet The Brainbase Team: Todd and Blake

We’re kicking off August by highlighting two awesome employees: Todd Boring, Head of Customer Success, and Blake Arnet, Senior Customer Success Manager! Find out what makes them passionate about disrupting the licensing industry and read about their top LA foods!

Give a brief history of your previous experience and what made you decide to be a part of Brainbase.

Todd: I’ve been in startups for the past 20 years, and it only seemed logical to want to join the Brainbase team after I read an article about them last November. The reward of contributing to the company’s growth, and ultimate success in disrupting the licensing industry, was too enticing for me not to join the team.

Blake: I’ve been in the startup world my entire career and am constantly inspired by the innovation that happens within the industry. My previous experience has focused on community engagement, customer success and sales operations.

I previously guided companies at StartEngine and set them up for success in raising money through crowdfunding. I worked with over 200 founders and successfully launched over 125 companies via Regulation Crowdfunding. Before this role, I was at Ring (acquired by Amazon) where I started and grew a community of 1,000+ customers in multiple countries while building 3 software products alongside a very talented software development team.

Brainbase’s innovation, vision and design caught my eye. I immediately wanted to be a part of an innovative and disruptive company who was making waves… and Brainbase is doing exactly that. The company’s vision to make the IP industry more open, efficient and accessible is game-changing.

Any upcoming projects you’re excited about?

Todd: I’m very excited about the three new products we plan to launch later this year and into Q1 of 2021. These additions will be a game-changer for the industry, just like Assist was, so providing “best in class” service is both a challenge and a huge opportunity to set the bar high for a new product in the marketplace.

Blake: We’re always updating and improving our customer onboarding process. I’m excited to hone in on our Quarterly Business Reviews that will allow us to dive deep with our clients and showcase key metrics to help them better understand their data and ultimately make their businesses more successful.

How do you think Brainbase is changing the licensing industry?

Todd: As with most startups, when the founders started Brainbase, it was formed out of a need not met in the current marketplace. The founders came to the industry with fresh eyes, a software background, and saw a gap that nobody was filling. They’ve continued to innovate well past what other service providers had even thought was possible, and that trend will continue.

Blake: We’re changing the game in a variety of ways. From my end as a Sr. Customer Success Manager, I train customers on every feature and one particular function that they love is the ease of use in collaborating with their partners. For instance, when a licensee uploads a sales report, both sides can see the sales data in a beautiful dashboard. The dashboard breaks out sales by category, territory, retailer and so much more. We’re making the licensing industry more transparent and collaborative on every level.

What motivates you?

Todd: Being a part of growth and making a positive impact, both in people and business.

Blake: My family and my late mother. I was raised by two very strong parents who came from very humble beginnings and worked their way up to provide me with the best education, resources and opportunities. I want to be able to give that to my future family and help people less fortunate than myself. It’s important to make the world a better place for the next generation and I strive to do that.

How do you measure success (with Brainbase or yourself)?

Todd: In my world, I can measure most things in my life based on happiness. Are our customers happy? My teammates? My wife and kids? Generally speaking, if these people have smiles on their faces, I’m on the right track.

Blake: I’ve always believed it’s not where you start, but where you finish and how far you’ve come. I measure success in a few ways, but mainly how many times I bounce back after failing and how far I’ve come as part of the journey. Playing competitive basketball in middle school, high school and college, I’ve won multiple championships throughout the years, but have also lost many times. I’ve learned that you can still be successful even if you don’t win every championship, as long as you’re growing from the losses. The championships and accolades will come after.

Where do you want the company to be at in 3 years?

Todd: The Facebook to MySpace.

Blake: I envision Brainbase being the leader in the IP and licensing industry while providing multiple world class software products and services for clients all over the world. Part of our mission is to make the licensing industry more accessible and I believe we’re on the right track for that too. I also envision the company growing to 100+ employees and that’s exciting!

What makes you passionate about Brainbase?

Todd: I’m a people person, and I’m blessed to have access to some very inspiring people through Brainbase. The Brainbase Team is second to none, and our customers are global leaders in some cases. It’s inspiring to work with the individuals behind some of the biggest brands in the world.

Blake: I am a big fan of the products we are building and the culture we’re creating in 2020. The foundation of what we’re doing across the company will play a major role in how we succeed today and in the future. We have some exciting products in the works that I can’t disclose, but they are game-changers to say the least.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Todd: My days are far from consistent, which is one of my favorite parts of my job. However, it’s typical that I would be in several meetings on any given day.

Blake: It depends on the day, but it can consist of a client product training, updating our help articles, assisting our live clients on live chat and replying to emails from clients about how to use a specific feature. I also work closely with our product team to ensure that our clients know what new features are coming soon.

Favorite go-to restaurant in LA (or anywhere you’re from 😀)?

Todd: Finney’s Crafthouse and Kitchen!

Blake: For a fast-casual atmosphere, Cava. For a more sit down vibe, I would say Rose Cafe.

Do you have any after-work hobbies/activities?

Todd: Just about anything outdoors with wife and kids, but surfing and golfing are definite must-haves.

Blake: I love to play basketball, work out, hang out with friends, occasional ping pong and grow my annual fundraising event Dunk MS.

Any favorite office/work-interaction memories?

Todd: Happy hours in Venice and company picnics on the beach.

Blake: We had a fun beach day in Venice before COVID-19 hit. We spent a few hours at the beach playing games and enjoyed a great catered lunch. It’s always nice to spend time with your colleagues outside of the office!

 

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